Gearing for actuating sleeve valves for crankless engines



Feb. 17, 1931.

A. G. M. MICHELL GEAR ING FOR ACTUATING SLEEVE VALVES FOR CRAN KLESS ENGINES,

Filed. Dec. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 17, 1931. G MICHELL 1,793,238

GEARING FOR ACTUATING SLEEVE VALVES FOR GRANKLESS ENGINES Filed Dec. 27,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 17 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE g ANTHONY GEORGE MAL-DON MICHELL, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, AS-

SIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MICHELL-CRANKLESS ENGINES CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GEARING FOR ACTUATING SLEEVE VALVES FOR CRANKLESS ENGINES Application filed December 27, 1926, Serial No. 157,377,

The present invention relates to gearing for actuating valves, of crankless internal combustion engines, that is to say, engines of the type in which the axes of the cylinders of the engine are parallel to the axis of the main shaft, the valves being of the sleeve type coaxial with the cylinders and being actuated with acombined rotary and reciprocating motion.

Such valves are well-known, and are operated by various means, an appropriate motion being communicated to the valve to cause a port or ports cut through the side of the sleeve to register with ports in the cylinder as required for the admission and exhaust of the working fluids of the engine.

The motion applied to said valves has in some cases been a simultaneous rotary and reciprocating movement and the present invention refers specifically to valves of that ty e.

According to the present invention the means employed for imparting continuous rotary motion of the valve about its axis simultaneously with a reciprocating motion in the direction of its axis consists of a novel mechanism involving a new mechanical movement which in practice is highly efiicient'at high s eeds and the mechanical form of which is extremel simple. V

Briefly stated t e mechanism for the purpose stated comprises an oblique annular element formed upon the valve which element is in geared engagement with a rotary element imparting positive rotation to the valve and in conjunction with said geared element lateral faces are provided on the oblique element which have constant rolling engagement with faces located-in a fixed plane which latter engagement causes reciprocation of the valve parallel to its axis simultaneously with said rotary motion consequent upon the obliquity of said annular element.

The invention will now be further described with reference .to the accompanying drawings illustrative of a practical application of the same. The tylpleof engine shown in these drawings is the own crankless or slant type, but it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto as it is and in Great Britain January 19, 1926.

equally applicable to other types of engines wherein a-slee've valve is associated With a pocll't or ports in the engine cylinder or cylin ers.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a partial loni gitudinal section though the axes of the main shaft and of a cylinder of a crankless engine, the valve being shown in position in the cylinder but not in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse section showing the cylinder and valve illustrated in' Figure 1, together with parts of other similar cylinders and valves combined therewith in one engine.

The cylinder 1, shown in Figure 1, which is fitted with a cylinder head 2, contains the sleeve-valve 3, constructed according to the present invention, and the piston 4. The piston has attached to it the yoke 5, carrying the slippers 6, by which it co-acts with the slant 7, mounted on the engine-shaft 8, and the shaft 8 is fitted with a thrust collar 9, abutting against a fixed thrust bearing 10 which prevents endwise motion of the shaft. All these parts are according to a known construction.

Upon the shaft 8 is rigidly mounted the pinion 11 which constantly meshes with and drives the gear wheel 13 rigidly secured on the valve 3. This gear wheel 13 is concentric with but oblique to the axis of the valve 3, and has formed thereon bevelled lateral faces 14 which arein continuous rolling engagement with the coned faces of the collars 12 on the sleeve 12a on the shaft 8. These'collars 12 are so disposedthat no side play can occur in the gear wheel 13.

In the four-stroke internal combustion en- I gine shown in the figures, the Wheel 13 has twice as many teeth as the wheel 11 so that the valve 3 rotates at one-half the angular speed of the engine shaft 8.

It will be observed that as the valve 3 revolves, it is compelled,- by the engagement valve sleeve at the pressure end of the cylinder, registers once with the admission port 16 (see Fig. 2) provided in the engine cylinder 1 and once with the exhaust port 17 therein, thus making communication between the interior of the sleeve and cylinder and the latter ports at the respective times required for the operation of the engine.

I claim 1. In an internal combustion engine of the parallel cylinder type, the combination with a sleeve valve for each of the cylinders of means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to the valve comprising a gear obliquely mounted on the latter, and

a pinion on the driving member in mesh with the gear on said driven member.

2. In an internal combustion engine of the parallel cylinder type, the combination with a sleeve valve for each of the cylinders of means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to the valve comprising a gear obliquely mounted on the latter having beveled lateral faces, a pinion on the driving member in mesh with the gear on the driven member, and laterally arranged sleeves on the driving member having beveled flanges engaging the lateral faces on said gear.

3. In a crankless internal combustion engine, the combination of an engine shaft, a series of cylinders having their axes parallel to the axis of the shaft, a reciprocating piston in each cylinder, means actuated by the movements of the pistons for rotating the shaft, sleeve valves interposed between the cylinders and pistons and having ports coactingwith ports in the cylinders, and means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to said valvescomprising a gear obliquely mounted on each valve and a pinion on the engine shaft in mesh with the gears on the valves.

4. In a crankless internal combustion en- 'ne, the combination of an engine shaft, a et annular member mounted obliquely on the shaft, a series of cylinders arranged around the shaft, pistons in said cylinders operatively connected to said annular member for rotating the shaft, sleeve valves interlposed between the pistons and cylinders and aving ports co-actlng with ports 1n the latter, and means forimparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocatmg motion to said valves comprising a gear obliquely mounted on each sleeve, and a pinion on the engine shaft in mesh with the gears on the sleeves.

5. In a crankless internal'combustion enne, the combination of an engine shaft, a

at annular member mounted obliquely on the shaft, a series of cylinders arranged around the shaft having their axes parallel to the axis of said shaft, pistons in said 0 linders operatively connected to said annu ar member for rotating the shaft, sleeve valves interposed between the pistons and cylinders and having ports coacting with ports in the latter, and means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to said valves comprising a gear obliquely mounted oneach sleeve having beveled lateral. faces, a pinion on the engine shaft in mesh with the gears on the sleeves, and laterally arranged sleeves on the engine shaft having beveled flanges engaging the lateral faces on the gears.

6. In an internal combustion engine of the parallel cylinder type, the combination with a sleeve valve for each of the cylinders, of means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to each of said valves comprising a gear obliquely mounted on each of said valves and a pinion on the engine shaft in mesh with each of the valve gears and lateral guide surfaces arranged in fixed planes through the shaft and engaging lateral bearing faces on each of said valve gears.

7. In an internal combustion engine of the parallel cylinder type, the combination with a sleeve valve for each of the cylinders, of means for imparting simultaneous rotary and reciprocating motion to each of said valves comprising a gear obliquely mounted on each of said valves and a pinion on the engine shaft in mesh with each of the valve gears and laterally arranged flanges on said shaft adjacent opposite sides of said pinion and engaging beveled lateral bearing faces on each of the valve gears.

Dated this 29th day of November, 1926.

ANTHONY GEORGE MALDON MICHELL. 

